


Merry Christmas, Baby

by MissErikaCourt



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Birthday, Christmas, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, really just tons of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 09:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13121097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissErikaCourt/pseuds/MissErikaCourt
Summary: Levi doesn't like Christmas or his birthday. Petra is determined to change that.





	Merry Christmas, Baby

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> This is a gift for my lovely wifey for our Christmas art exchange! Hope you enjoy, love!

Levi didn't like Christmas. He didn't like it because he saw it as a pointless holiday, that and his birthday shared the same day, and if Levi didn't like Christmas, he _really_ didn't like his birthday. He thought he might actually hate it, but Petra, she loved _both_ of those days. Levi had never really understood why it was so important to her, but he didn't argue. So, when he woke up on that very day after a surprising amount of sleep the night before to see that Petra was, in fact, _not_ in bed beside him a cold sense of dread washed over him.

Petra had always been an enthusiastic celebrator. He loved her, but she was too much when it came to holidays and birthdays. Her cheery disposition and beautiful smile were the only things that made up for how much she pushed celebrations on him. He would much rather have a peaceful night with her, cuddled on the couch, their little black cat curled up on her lap. That was his idea of a party. Petra had other ideas, though.

He groaned and threw his feet over the side of the bed, rolling his shoulders as he pushed himself to a standing position. He listened carefully. There were no sounds coming from inside the house, at least not on the second level where their bedroom was located. He took a deep breath before he walked over and opened the door. He could smell something baking as he walked down the hall toward the staircase. He couldn't quite pinpoint it, but he could only hope it wasn't a birthday cake. Levi had never cared for sweets, preferring the more savory side of baked goods, but if Petra was baking him a cake he would eat it with a smile. It might be a little forced, but it would be a smile.

He raked a hand through his hair as he made his way toward the stairs that would lead him to the first floor of their quaint home. It was just big enough for the two of them, nothing extravagant, nothing that anyone else would call special, but it was _home_ for them. It was all Levi thought he would ever need in life. He smiled to himself before he descended the stairs and rounded the corner into the living room. Looking around, he didn't see Petra there either, but when he looked down their cat was winding himself around his legs, eager for his attention. He never really understood why their cat liked him the best, but he wouldn't complain. He scooped Mischief up in his arms and scratched his head as he made his way toward the kitchen, and that's where he found Petra.

She was perfect, as always, a beautiful domestic goddess buzzing around their kitchen with flour in her hair and all over her clothes. He couldn't help but smile a bit at the sight of it all. He lowered Mischief to the floor and walked further into the room without so much as a glance from Petra. He had always been able to sneak up on her like this, his footsteps nearly inaudible against the smooth, dark wood of the floor in their kitchen. It was fine with him that she didn't realize he was there yet, though, he enjoyed watching her candidly. The way she always had a small smile on her face, the way her eyes shone and danced in the light, it was more than enough to make him fall in love with her all over again. She only realized he was there after he'd been leaning on the counter watching her for a good few minutes.

“When did you get up?” She asked with a bit of a start, her eyes darting around the kitchen as if she had something to hide.

“Not long ago.” He answered, not unkindly, but in a short enough tone for her to sputter a bit when she spoke again.

“Do you want tea or...something?”

“What are you baking?” He asked without answering her question. The smell was still filling his senses, the intoxicating aroma making him just a little more eager than he'd been moments ago.

“Um, nothing! It's nothing it's just...something for...just never mind. It's nothing to worry about!” She smiled again and walked around the counter to get closer to him, tilting her head to the side and dusting herself off before she leaned against him. He straightened his posture and pulled her closer, disregarding the flour that still lingered on her clothing and pressing her body firmly against his.

“You aren't making a cake are you?” His tone was purposefully a little intimidating. He'd told her _several_ times that he didn't want anything special done for him today, but if past years were any indication of what her behavior would be like today she wouldn't listen very well.

“No! You said you didn't want a birthd-” She stopped, straightening her posture. “I mean, you said you didn't want a cake. You don't like sweets, that's what you said last year.”

“Why do I get the feeling that you've found the perfect workaround to my request?” He asked, running his hands up and down her arms. She smiled a sweet, innocent smile. He knew it was anything but.

“You said you don't want to celebrate your birthday, Levi, I get it. You don't like birthdays, so we're not celebrating your birthday. I'm not baking you a cake, I'm not going to sing any songs, I'm not going to make you blow out any candles, so just relax.”

“I am relaxed.” He said, looking down at her big, brown doe eyes.

“Levi Ackerman,” She smiled. He melted. “You lie through your teeth. Your shoulders are so tense! You just woke up and you're already rigid.”

“I was worried you were baking a birthday cake.”

She rolled her eyes and placed a kiss on his nose before she pulled away and walked back over toward the oven, peeking inside.

“They're almost done.” She smiled. “And do you really not like sweets that much?”

“I have you, I don't need anything else sweet.” He said as if it wasn't going to make her dissolve into a puddle of giddiness on the floor.

“When did you become such a romantic?”

“Anything else sweet and I might get a cavity.”

“Ah, there it is.” Petra laughed and the sound of it made him smile involuntarily.

She busied herself again, putting the kettle on for tea as Mischief padded underfoot, begging for her attention. She brought out the special tea leaves that they'd gotten on a trip to Mitras from Levi's favorite tea shop and prepared two of their special china teacups and saucers before the water boiled. She was trying so hard to make this into something special without making it _look_ like it was something special. It was adorable and slightly frustrating all at once.

Still, he couldn't complain. Petra showed her love in different ways, but all of them were taking care of him somehow. The fact that she wanted to do something like that alone was enough to make him feel strange, but the fact that she seemed to enjoy doing all these little things was stranger still. He'd never been particularly good at affection, but it was something that he was working on.

“Here! Your favorite tea from your favorite shop in the city in your favorite teacup!” Petra delicately placed the cup in front of him on the counter and he took it with only a hint of suspicion.

“You're trying to celebrate, aren't you?” He asked, eying the cup before he gave in and took a sip of his tea. It was his favorite, after all.

“No! I just like doing things for you, Levi! I love you, just let me spoil you every now and then.”

“I don't like being _spoiled_.”

“You don't like anything.”

“I like you.” He shot back quickly.

“Only like?” Petra asked with a mischievous smile.

“Maybe more, depending on the nature of your plans for today.” He smirked and it made her blush, and that was exactly what he'd been going for.

“Just...go to the living room. I'll meet you there in a minute.”

He quirked an eyebrow upward but sighed and did as he was told, leaving the kitchen in favor of their cozy living room with Mischief hot on his heels. There was already a fire burning in the fireplace and there were some Christmas decorations on the mantle and around the small room. Petra at least reigned in her holiday cheer for his sake, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to decorate at least a little.

He sat down on the couch and Mischief immediately jumped up, bumping his head against Levi's hand in a demand for affection. Levi set his teacup on the end table and obliged. He did love the cat, after all. Even with the distraction of Mischief kneading on his lap and trying to make himself comfortable, Levi still couldn't help but wonder just what it was that Petra had been preparing for him this morning. He wondered how long she'd been awake. It looked like, whatever she had made, had been done from scratch, if the amount of flour all over their kitchen was anything to go by. That meant that she would have had to be up for at least a few hours before him. The thought of her sacrificing her sleep to do something for him made his heart ache a little. In a good way. Mostly.

“You've been watching her all morning, haven't you Mischief?” Levi asked as the cat tilted his head to the side, his kneading motions never ceasing. “What's she been doing all morning?”

“Are you talking to the cat again? You know he won't answer you, right?” Petra startled him but he didn't show it outwardly. He looked up, opening his mouth to answer, but fell silent as soon as he saw what she was carrying.

She set a tray on the coffee table in front of the sofa that was absolutely full of flaky, perfectly golden croissants. The kind that they could only ever find in Mitras at the bakery that he loved. He looked at her quizzically as she beamed down at him, a slight pink tinge on her cheeks. She had made these for him. His favorite pastry, his favorite tea. He was taken aback by her generosity and willingness to make him happy.

“Did you make these?” He asked, his tone disbelieving. He didn't mean to sound so...weird about it, he saw her smile falter only slightly. He must have given her the impression that he was angry.

“Yeah, I just thought that you might like them...You always love to go to that bakery in Mitras to get them when we visit the city and I wanted to do something special.” She was talking quickly as if she was afraid that he was upset with her. “I know you don't like to celebrate holidays and your birthday but...I love you Levi and I want you to be happy today. This is a really special day for me, even if you don't think it's special. This is the day that you were born, I can't help but be happy about that. And if it makes it any better these are Christmas morning croissants, not birthday croissants.”

Her face was burning brighter now, whether it was from exertion from saying all of that in what seemed like one breath or embarrassment he wasn't sure, but it didn't matter much. She was adorable. She was perfect. She was beautiful. She had gone through all this trouble just to make sure that his day started out well. He wasn't about to let all her effort go to waste.

Levi picked up one of the flaky pastries, feeling it crumble a bit in his hand. Mischief perked up as he brought it closer, and Levi placed the curious cat back on the floor, not willing to have his breakfast batted out of his hand by wandering paws. The texture seemed perfect as he held it. A perfect replica of the ones they always had in Mitras. He looked back to Petra who was watching him closely.

“How long did it take you to make these?” He asked, his tone a little softer than it had been moments ago. He didn't want her to continue to think that he was upset because, in reality, he was anything but. He was impressed, he was flattered, but he definitely _was not_ upset.

“I had to try a few times,” Petra answered vaguely, looking away from him as she spoke. “No one told me how hard it is to make croissants.”

He chuckled and it seemed to put her mind at ease.

“So, how long have you been awake then?”

“Too long.” She sighed. “Just try it! I didn't get up and slave in the kitchen all morning for you to just stare at them!”

His eyes flicked from her face to the pastry he was still holding in his hand. He removed his teacup from the saucer and placed the croissant there before tearing into it, not wanting to make a mess as it inevitably crumbled. The corner that he tore off looked perfect. He could see all the layers as he examined it. His mouth watered involuntarily at the sight of his favorite baked good before he popped it into his mouth. And it was heaven. Buttery, flaky, heaven. How Petra had managed to perfect a pastry as difficult as croissants in a single morning amazed him, but she spent so much time amazing him that he'd started to grow accustomed to it. How he managed to hold onto her was something he would never understand.

“Well?” She asked, her brow furrowing as if she was worried about what he thought. Of course, he knew that his outward expression probably wasn't conveying the pure euphoria he was feeling at the moment, but it still took him by surprise that she even had to ask. Instead of using words like a rational person might have, he reached up and pulled her down to him, onto his lap, and kissed her sweetly, slowly, before pulling away to look at her again.

“Perfect.” He said. Only one word. But she seemed to understand the gravity of it. What she didn't understand was that he wasn't really talking about the croissants. It was Petra that was perfect, in every aspect of the word.

“You really like them?” She asked, her hand moving up to his shoulder. She didn't show any signs that she wanted to move from the spot he'd placed her in. He nodded, leaning his forehead against hers and looking into her eyes.

“Much better than a cake.” He answered.

“Merry Christmas, Levi.” She smiled, her hands reaching up to thread through his hair before she placed a gentle kiss on his lips again. “And happy birthday.”

Levi couldn't help but smile at her words. He pulled her closer, against his chest, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He may not like Christmas _or_ his birthday, but he could learn to if it meant making Petra happy, and that was really all he ever wanted to do.


End file.
